Introduction
CEISAR has devoted itself for 6 years to Enterprise Architecture
CEISAR (Center of Excellence in Enterprise Architecture www.ceisar.org) has written
white papers on the subject of Entreprise
Architecture for 6 years.
Enterprise Architecture is the overall Model of the Solutions that an Enterprise chooses to
Produce, Distribute, manage its Resources and its
performance. Its global vision enables it to provide a coherent
framework in which the different Enterprise Solutions are
included. This framework enables us to gain in simplicity,
agility and synergy and requires a structure to be set up that
is independent of the Business side.
But a broader framework is needed
But, the accelerating pace of Enterprise Transformations is
changing the rules of the game: Enterprise Architecture can no
longer be isolated as a separate discipline from the strategy
definition, Product policy
or change management. We have therefore tried to define a more general framework which sets out why and how to lead Transformations. Of course, Enterprise Architecture is part of that, but it is only one of the themes needed for successful Transformations. We have had to present the workings and Transformation of the Enterprise in its entirety to help with a multidisciplinary approach to Transformation: Strategists, Product designers, marketing, Solution builders whether they are on the Business or IT side, Organizers, trainers, HR managers... have to be involved in the same process, within project teams organized around a Goal to be reached.
A multidisciplinary Transformation language
There are many documents, works and articles that deal with
these problems. Our objective is not to reinvent the wheel: we
have tried to base ourselves on what is already available.
The biggest challenge when you cast your net wide is to be
understandable by everyone. It is therefore no longer a question
of using discipline-specific jargon: we have to share a rigorous
and simple common language and the same vision of exactly what
the Enterprise is.
Our only contribution is to have tried to present these themes
using a common language where each concept is rigorously defined
in a glossary.
In the form of a comic strip
Regarding the format, we were extremely surprised by the fact
that one of the most downloaded white papers from CEISAR was the
story of a baker who illustrates, in comic-strip form, the
development of a bakery Enterprise. We used this story to
introduce the main themes of Enterprise Architecture. We tried
to compensate for the aridity of the subject with a touch of
imaginativeness. We therefore "listened to our Customers" and
used the same Model again to illustrate the broader theme of
Enterprise Transformation.
To build the scenario, we began by listing the 78 essential
themes that concern Transformation to organize them into a story
in 10 acts, divided up into as many scenes and there are themes.
We turned to the Belgian comic strip illustrator, Tonu, whom we
would like to thank for his work, his pedagogic input and his
humor.
In view of the number of themes, we haven't tried to detail each one of them but simply to illustrate what we consider to be the main ideas in a document entitled "learn more".
George the Baker : Entrepreneur and Transformer
George the Baker is both an Entrepreneur and a Transformer : indeed, starting an Enterprise and carrying out large projects in existing Enterprises, use the same practices such as Modeling the Offer, Modeling the Operations, using new Transformation approaches... (subject covered here).
Who can use this story?
Our objective is to help those whose ambition it is to rapidly
Transform Enterprises or to start new ones.
Everyone can therefore use this story, which is available
royalty free under a "Creative Commons" license; you can even
use it in training courses that you charge for: simply indicate
the source and make no modifications to the original (but do not
hesitate to post comments).
The story can be used, for example:
- By teachers wishing to present what an Enterprise is, its role, its start up and its transformation.
- By continuing professional development providers.
- By Enterprises, at the start of complex projects, to bring together a Transformation team.
- By those who define the new forms of organization in Enterprises.
- By those who define a multidisciplinary Transformation approach...
How to improve this story
We have initiated this story, defined a glossary of key terms and written the ideas that seem the most pertinent to us. But this initial version is far from being perfect. In particular, certain themes are not yet very developed and we need expert help to give substance to them. We would like to see others contribute to its development. We can keep the thread of the story but go into more detail on the recommendations of each scene.Anyone can, via the "Comments" and "Contributions" sections, participate in enriching the story: to integrate your contributions, we will use the same language so as to keep overall consistency.
A French version is circulated in priority; an English version will follow the month after. We will try to maintain both versions if we have enough means, or if some people would like to help us with the translation.